PASCACK VALLEY AREA, Bergen County—If a tree falls into one of the brooks, rivers, or tributaries that traverse Pascack Valley’s eight towns, who’s responsible for removing it?
The answer—depending on who you ask—is often as murky as the waterways themselves.
Recent drone surveys conducted in Westwood, River Vale, Hillsdale, and Washington Township reveal that more than 500 downed trees are obstructing waterways in those four towns. These fallen trees routinely block normal storm runoff and could worsen flooding during major weather events.
One recent example: Westwood resident Lee Tremble said a tree rooted on the River Vale side of Pascack Brook collapsed into the brook, its top branches now resting near his Westwood property.
Despite repeated calls for help, Tremble said officials from both towns, Bergen County, and Veolia North Americaall told him the same thing: the fallen tree was his responsibility to remove.
Torrential Storm Sweeps Tree Away—But Not the Problem
After weeks of inaction, a torrential storm on Monday, July 14, dropped 2–3 inches of rain on Westwood and nearly seven inches in central New Jersey, sweeping the fallen tree away from Tremble’s property.
“Apparently the tree is gone, thanks to last night’s storm. Now it has moved downstream out of sight and [is] someone else’s problem,” Tremble, former longtime owner of The Iron Horse in Westwood, told Pascack Press on July 15.
Though the tree was gone, Tremble said he was frustrated:
- No officials offered help,
- The obstruction shifted to another neighbor,
- And the system seemed broken.
Westwood’s own drone study, he said, identified 128 downed trees in local brooks—yet no action plan was shared with residents.
Borough: Property Owners Are Responsible—But Funding Is Sought
Karen Hughes, Westwood’s assistant borough administrator and deputy OEM coordinator, confirmed the policy:
“Prior to 2018, the Borough was able to contact the Bergen County Mosquito Commission to arrange for the removal of trees from the brooks, regardless of whether it fell into the water from town property or private property. Unfortunately, in 2018 one of the Mosquito Commission employees was killed while performing this type of work … After that, the Mosquito Commission discontinued the program.”
She added:
“While ultimately the responsibility for downed trees resides with the property owner, the Borough recognizes that a comprehensive tree/debris removal program in the Pascack and Musquapsink would make sense.”
Hughes noted that the borough DPW lacks the manpower, training, and equipment to remove trees from the brook. And state NJDEP regulations mean waterways can’t simply be cleared without proper approval.
“Because the cost of removing all the downed trees from the brooks will be significant, the Borough applied through both Senator [Cory] Booker and [Fifth District] Congressman Josh Gottheimer for a Federal appropriation out of the 2025 budget. To date we have not heard back. We continue to seek grant opportunities.”
Mayor Arroyo: Grants Uncertain, Alternatives Explored
In a recent letter to the editor, Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo wrote:
“Unfortunately, due to the restructuring of FEMA, it’s currently unknown when, or even if, the grant process will proceed. Hillsdale’s Mayor [Michael] Sheinfield is working with Congressman Gottheimer’s office to see if the Boswell recommendations might be funded as regular order appropriations in the next federal budget cycle.”
He added that a multi-jurisdiction hazard mitigation scoping project was submitted to the state OEM to support a phased cleanup effort.
“We may have to seek funding for a reduced scope and phase in the suggested remediations, starting with de-snagging the waterways in the four towns, although NJ (Office of Emergency Management) was very supportive of the holistic approach we’d presented.”
Westwood Study Denied Under OPRA
When Pascack Press filed a public records request for the Westwood drone brook study, completed in summer 2024, the request was denied.
The clerk cited the study as “deliberative and contemplative under the state (Open Public Records Act).”
She explained that the mayor and council, borough administrator, and borough attorney were “still reviewing the study, therefore making it deliberative and contemplative.”
In contrast, Washington Township, Hillsdale, and River Vale have each released their Boswell Engineering drone reports to both the public and Pascack Press.
“I Saw Something and Said Something”
“I saw something and said something,” Tremble told Pascack Press, referencing his attempt to raise awareness and call for help.
He said he was especially frustrated that Veolia North America, which manages local reservoirs, declined to assist.
Many brooks in the Pascack Valley feed into Veolia-managed reservoirs, including Oradell and Woodcliff Lake.
Veolia spokesperson Debra Vial said:
“We remove trees that fall from our property into a river or stream. But while we own and manage many acres of watershed in the region, much of the property along rivers and streams is owned by and is the responsibility of public entities or homeowners.”
“In these cases, a homeowner should consult their municipality about removal.”
She added:
“We have studied the survey and are identifying snags that border Veolia property and planning to attempt removals wherever possible.”
Washington Township: Clear Guidelines, Ongoing Delays
In October 2023, Washington Township released a newsletter aimed at streamside homeowners, urging them to keep brook areas clear. It offered five key “good housekeeping” practices and stated:
“Property owners are solely responsible for any fallen trees, branches that may have fallen into the brook, or its shoreline. All yard waste, refuse and debris shall be removed and placed out for removal in accordance with Township Ordinance #426.”
The newsletter was produced by Boswell Engineering and funded by a state stormwater management grant.
The township’s drone report, completed in early 2023 and posted on the township website, listed nearly 100 obstructions along eight sections of Musquapsink Brook, including:
- 45 downed trees
- 33 sediment shoals
- 14 areas needing stream bank stabilization
- Several exposed sanitary manholes risking contamination
Township Administrator Mark DiCarlo said at the July council meeting that they are still awaiting NJDEP approvalon a resubmitted application for two emergency streambank repairs.
What’s Next?
Across the four towns, over 500 trees block key waterways, with 128 in Westwood alone.
Officials agree on the scale of the problem—but not yet on the solution, or who should pay for it.
For now, as Tremble put it, “the tree is gone”—but the problem remains.